Fennel Soup

A gray bowl of fennel and white bean soup with olive oil and fried shallots.

5 from 2 votes

A velvety, protein-rich soup made with fresh fennel, white beans, and herbs. Smooth, comforting, and ready in about 45 minutes—perfect for a cozy meal. Yield is 8 cups, 2 quarts.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Puree in blender5

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American, French

Servings: 12-ounce servings

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Dutch oven 5 ½ quarts
blender

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 ¼ cups chopped white onion 1 small
3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
1 ¼ pounds fennel bulbs 2-3, bulb only, trimmed of tops
4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 ½ teaspoons dried tarragon dried thyme, or both.
½ cup heavy cream canned coconut milk for dairy-free
30 ounces canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon white pepper or black

Optional garnishes

fennel fronds
extra virgin olive oil
fresh chopped chives or parsley
finely grated parmesan cheese
crisply cooked and crumbled bacon

Instructions

Vegetable prep

Either use your food processor to chop the fennel and onion, or chop it by hand. As the soup is a puree, both work. Chop the garlic fine.
Note - there is no need to cut the pyramid-shaped core from the fennel as it will be pureed.
Rinse and drain the beans.

Saute the vegetables

Add the olive oil to a medium pot (5 quarts) over medium low heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook until starting to soften, 7-10 minutes. Don't let it brown or gain any color. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, then add the herbs and some of the salt.
Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat down if needed, and cook the vegetables until very soft, 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans and the broth and bring to a simmer, allow flavors to blend and heat soup to heat through. Puree the soup in a blend, in 2 batches if needed, adding the cream at the end. Taste and season with the rest of the salt and white pepper if desired.
Serve with a drizzle of extra olive oil and any other garnishes you prefer.

Notes

Substitutions:

If you can't get cannellini beans, use navy beans, small white beans, or great northern beans, they all work great.

Storing and freezing:

Soup keeps in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an airtight container, be sure to label and date. Soup freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave until hot.

Nutrition